--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you don't start out aiming for the big…" description: "\"If you don't start out aiming for the big game, you almost never can get there.\" — Reid Hoffman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/reid-hoffman-1342_aiming_if-you-don-t-start-out-aiming-for-the-bi_206152.png" --- # If you don't start out aiming for the big game, you almost… ![“If you don't start out aiming for the big game, you almost never can get there.” quote by Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/reid-hoffman-1342_aiming_if-you-don-t-start-out-aiming-for-the-bi_206152.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/reid-hoffman-1342_aiming_if-you-don-t-start-out-aiming-for-the-bi_206152.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/reid-hoffman-1342_aiming_if-you-don-t-start-out-aiming-for-the-bi_206152.png) > “If you don't start out aiming for the big game, you almost never can get there.” [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aiming for modest goals limits ambition, making large achievements unlikely. **In simple terms:** Small goals hinder big success. Key Takeaway Set ambitious targets. Themes ambition goal-setting achievement Mood determined optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - sports - business ventures - personal development Key Concepts growth mindset strategic planning Questions to Reflect On - What big goal are you avoiding? - How can you balance ambition with realistic steps? A Different Perspective Overly ambitious aims may lead to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-game/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [“Stop blaming and start aiming.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-liano/stop-blaming-and-start-aiming/) [Rob Liano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-liano/) > [I've pitched in a lot of big games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-pettitte/i-ve-pitched-in-a-lot-of-big-games/) [Andy Pettitte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-pettitte/) > [You get yourself prepared for a big game, you get yourself up for it. Then afterwards you don't sleep or eat properly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/you-get-yourself-prepared-for-a-big-game-you-get-yourself-up-for-it/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [You can't play enough golf or do any of those other things that fill that kind of excitement that coaching gave me in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/you-can-t-play-enough-golf-or-do-any-of-those-other-things-that-fill/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) > [I've been fortunate enough to have some big games as both a player and a manager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-bruce/i-ve-been-fortunate-enough-to-have-some-big-games-as-both-a-player/) [Steve Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-bruce/) > [If you don't start somewhere, you'll never get anywhere. If you don't step forward, you are always in the same place. If you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-don-t-start-somewhere-you-ll-never-get-anywhere-if-you-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't be afraid to start over. Who knows you might get it right this time, and if you don't you can always start over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/don-t-be-afraid-to-start-over-who-knows-you-might-get-it-right-this/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“If you want to live a life that matters, don’t start when you get good; start now so you become good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/if-you-want-to-live-a-life-that-matters-don-t-start-when-you-get-good/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [If you ignore me , I will ignore you , If you don't start the conversations , we won't talk . If you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jezzswag/if-you-ignore-me-i-will-ignore-you-if-you-don-t-start-the/) JezzSwaG > [Don't start anything you're not prepared to finish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/don-t-start-anything-you-re-not-prepared-to-finish/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“If you don't start somewhere, you'll never start.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-klitzner/if-you-don-t-start-somewhere-you-ll-never-start/) Sean Klitzner > [Don't start something if you can't back it up with the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-hayward/don-t-start-something-if-you-can-t-back-it-up-with-the-truth/) [Courtney Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-hayward/) > [If you don't start anything then you don't have to worry about anything coming back to haunt you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-don-t-start-anything-then-you-don-t-have-to-worry-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't start shit you can't finish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaden/don-t-start-shit-you-can-t-finish/) [Jaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaden/) > [I can't do a film if I don't start with the writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-jordan/i-can-t-do-a-film-if-i-don-t-start-with-the-writing/) [Neil Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-jordan/) ## More by Reid Hoffman > [As an entrepreneur and investor, I prioritize construction and collaboration. Whether it's a five-person start-up or a global giant, the companies that are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/as-an-entrepreneur-and-investor-i-prioritize-construction-and/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [In software speed to market, speed to learning is really key. In hardware if you screw it up you are dead. So accuracy really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/in-software-speed-to-market-speed-to-learning-is-really-key-in/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [“Stockpiling facts won’t get you anywhere. What will get you somewhere is being able to access the information you need, when you need it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/stockpiling-facts-won-t-get-you-anywhere-what-will-get-you-somewhere/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [I think the randomness by Donald Trump's governing, by tweeting, sloganeering, attacking, will create great chaos in the entire market. I think people will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/i-think-the-randomness-by-donald-trump-s-governing-by-tweeting/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Democracy is always frustrating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/democracy-is-always-frustrating/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [One of the ways they run forward is by viewing the thing they’re doing as something that’s going to be the whole world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/one-of-the-ways-they-run-forward-is-by-viewing-the-thing-they-re/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [If you could train an AI to be a Buddhist, it would probably be pretty good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/if-you-could-train-an-ai-to-be-a-buddhist-it-would-probably-be-pretty/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [It’s actually pretty easy to be contrarian. It’s hard to be contrarian and right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/it-s-actually-pretty-easy-to-be-contrarian-it-s-hard-to-be-contrarian/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Giving birth to something that could possibly change the lives of millions of people for possibly decades, hundreds of years, whatever the length of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/giving-birth-to-something-that-could-possibly-change-the-lives-of/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [The entrepreneurial journey starts with jumping off a cliff and assembling an airplane on the way down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-entrepreneurial-journey-starts-with-jumping-off-a-cliff-and/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Be persistent, and hang on to your vision. And at the same time, be flexible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/be-persistent-and-hang-on-to-your-vision-and-at-the-same-time-be/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [First mover Advantage doesn't go to the company that starts up, it goes to the company that scales up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/first-mover-advantage-doesn-t-go-to-the-company-that-starts-up-it/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Before dreaming about the future or marking plans, you need to articulate what you already have going for you - as entrepreneurs do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/before-dreaming-about-the-future-or-marking-plans-you-need-to/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [The metaphor that I frequently use for entrepreneurship is jumping off a cliff and assembling an airplane plane on the way down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-metaphor-that-i-frequently-use-for-entrepreneurship-is-jumping/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [ I think most of \[people\] are not very well educated themselves to understand the Winston Churchill line - democracy is the worst of all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/i-think-most-of-people-are-not-very-well-educated-themselves-to/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) [Explore all 253 Reid Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) ## More Aiming quotes > [I'm never aiming to make a movie like someone else's movie, but in order to describe a movie to someone else who hasn't seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/i-m-never-aiming-to-make-a-movie-like-someone-else-s-movie-but-in/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [Whatever you're aiming for, God's better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/whatever-you-re-aiming-for-god-s-better/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [“A place in the sun, that's what I am aiming for... and who could ever ask for more?' -Columbine to Pierrot”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-claudia-antunes/a-place-in-the-sun-that-s-what-i-am-aiming-for-and-who-could-ever-ask/) [Ana Claudia Antunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-claudia-antunes/) > [A president aiming for 'Great' or 'Near Great' status must do more. He must give lots of interviews, make records accessible, and heap the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-frank/a-president-aiming-for-great-or-near-great-status-must-do-more-he/) [Thomas Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-frank/) > [Aiming at brevity, I become obscure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/aiming-at-brevity-i-become-obscure/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [“Aim at a high mark and you'll hit it. No, not the first time, nor the second time. Maybe not the third. But keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-oakley/aim-at-a-high-mark-and-you-ll-hit-it-no-not-the-first-time-nor-the/) [Annie Oakley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-oakley/) > [I will commit not the terrible crime of aiming too low. I will do the work that a failure will not do. I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/i-will-commit-not-the-terrible-crime-of-aiming-too-low-i-will-do-the/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Aiming a gun at your head and pulling the trigger. Mind = Blown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/aiming-a-gun-at-your-head-and-pulling-the-trigger-mind-blown/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm aiming to become the white Oprah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-dickinson/i-m-aiming-to-become-the-white-oprah/) [Janice Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-dickinson/) > [Acting without thinking is like shooting without aiming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/acting-without-thinking-is-like-shooting-without-aiming/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [To talk without thinking is to shoot without aiming. --](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-clarke/to-talk-without-thinking-is-to-shoot-without-aiming/) Greg Clarke > [There is a shortage of doctors, and the American Medical Association is aiming to keep it that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/there-is-a-shortage-of-doctors-and-the-american-medical-association/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [I don't like narrowing my readers down - there's not a particular age or gender or nationality. I suppose I'm aiming at the child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-browne/i-don-t-like-narrowing-my-readers-down-there-s-not-a-particular-age/) [Anthony Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-browne/) > [“Are you aiming for our make-up to be the shortest in history or what?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/are-you-aiming-for-our-make-up-to-be-the-shortest-in-history-or-what/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [Sometimes, I'd take shots without aiming, just to see what happened. I'd rush into crowds - bang! bang! ... It must be close to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-klein/sometimes-i-d-take-shots-without-aiming-just-to-see-what-happened-i-d/) [William Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-klein/) Browse all 90 Aiming quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you don't start out aiming for the big game, you almost never can get there.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Reid Hoffman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/if-you-don-t-start-out-aiming-for-the-big-game-you-almost-never-can/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aiming" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/if-you-don-t-start-out-aiming-for-the-big-game-you-almost-never-can/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/reid-hoffman-1342_aiming_if-you-don-t-start-out-aiming-for-the-bi_206152.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/reid-hoffman-1342_aiming_if-you-don-t-start-out-aiming-for-the-bi_206152.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/reid-hoffman-1342_aiming_if-you-don-t-start-out-aiming-for-the-bi_206152.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you don't start out aiming for the big game, you almost never can get there.” — Reid Hoffman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Reid Hoffman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you don't start out aiming...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/if-you-don-t-start-out-aiming-for-the-big-game-you-almost-never-can/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/if-you-don-t-start-out-aiming-for-the-big-game-you-almost-never-can/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```